County Donegal (pronounced /ˈdɒnɨɡɔːl, ˌdɒnɨˈɡɔːl/ – Irish: Contae Dhún na nGall) is one of the traditional counties of Ireland. It is located within the Province of Ulster and is part of the Republic of Ireland. It was named after the town of Donegal (Irish: Dún na nGall). In terms of size and area, it is the largest county in Ulster and the fourth largest in all of Ireland.

Throughout its history, it has sometimes been referred to as County Tirconaill, County Tirconnell or County Tyrconnell. The former was used as its official name during 1922–1927.[1] This is in reference to both the old túath of Tír Chonaill and the earldom that succeeded it.

History

County Donegal is famous for being the home of the once mighty Clan Dálaigh, whose most famous branch were the Clan Ó Domhnaill, better known in English as the O'Donnell Clan. Until around A.D. 1600, the O'Donnells were one of Ireland's richest and most powerful Gaelic (native Irish) ruling-families. Within the Province of Ulster only the Clan Uí Néill (known in English as the O'Neill Clan) of modern County Tyrone were more powerful. The O'Donnells were Ulster's second most powerful clan or ruling-family from the early thirteenth-century through to the start of the seventeenth-century. For several centuries the O'Donnells ruled Tír Chonaill, a Gaelic kingdom in West Ulster that covered almost all of modern County Donegal. The head of the O'Donnell family had the titles An Ó Domhnaill (meaning The O'Donnell in English) and Rí Thír Chonaill (meaning King of Tír Chonaill in English). Based at Donegal Castle in Dún na nGall (modern Donegal Town), the O'Donnell Kings of Tír Chonaill were traditionally inaugurated at Doon Rock near Kilmacrenan. O'Donnell royal or chiefly power was finally ended in what was then the newly created County Donegal in September, 1607, following the Flight of the Earls from near Rathmullan. The modern County Arms of Donegal (dating from the early 1970s) was influenced by the design of the old O'Donnell royal arms. The County Arms is the official coat-of-arms of both County Donegal and Donegal County Council.

The modern County Donegal was shired by order of the English Crown in 1585. The English authorities at Dublin Castle formed the new county by amalgamating the old Kingdom of Tír Chonaill with the old Lordship of Inishowen. However, the English authorities were unable to establish control over Tír Chonaill and Inishowen until after the Battle of Kinsale in 1602. Full control over the new County Donegal was only achieved after the Flight of the Earls in September, 1607.

County Donegal was one of the worst affected parts of Ulster during the Great Famine of the late 1840s in Ireland. Vast swathes of the county were devastated by this catastrophe, many areas becoming permanently depopulated. Vast numbers of County Donegal's people emigrated at this time, chiefly through the Port of Derry. Huge numbers of the county's people who emigrated were to settle in Glasgow in southern Scotland.[citation needed]

The Partition of Ireland in the early 1920s was to have a massive direct impact on County Donegal. Partition cut the county off, economically and administratively, from Derry, which had acted for centuries as the county's main port, transport hub and financial centre. Derry, together with West Tyrone, was henceforward in a new, different jurisdiction officially called Northern Ireland. Partition also meant that County Donegal was now almost entirely cut off from the rest of the jurisdiction it now found itself in, the new independent state called the Irish Free State, known since April 1949 as the Republic of Ireland. Only a few miles of the county is physically connected by land to the rest of the Republic. The existence of this 'border', cutting Donegal off from her natural hinterlands in Derry City and West Tyrone, has greatly exacerbated the economic difficulties of the county since partition. The county's economy is particularly susceptible, just like that of Derry City, to the currency fluctuations of the Euro against Sterling.

Added to all this, in the late twentieth-century, County Donegal was, by the standards of the rest of the Republic of Ireland, to be adversely affected by The Troubles in Northern Ireland. The county was to suffer several bombings and at least two assassinations. In June 1987, Constable Samuel McClean, a Donegal man who was a serving member of the R.U.C., was shot dead by the I.R.A. at his family home near Drumkeen. In May 1991, the prominent Sinn Féin politician Councillor Eddie Fullerton was assassinated by Loyalistparamilitaries at his home in Buncrana. This added further to the economic and social difficulties of the county. However, the Good Friday Agreement (G.F.A.) of April 1998 has been of great benefit to the county.

Geography

Physically, the county is by far the most rugged and mountainous in Ulster. The county consists chiefly of low mountains, with a deeply indented coastline forming natural loughs, of which both Lough Swilly and Lough Foyle are the most notable. The famous mountains or Hills of Donegal consist of two major ranges, the Derryveagh Mountains in the north and the Bluestack Mountains in the south, with Mount Errigal at 749 metres (2,457 ft) the highest peak. The Slieve League cliffs are the highest sea cliffs in Europe, while Donegal's Malin Head is the most northerly point on the island of Ireland.

County Donegal can be divided up into a number of traditional districts. In the west there is The Rosses (Irish: Na Rosa), centered on the town of Dungloe (Irish: An Clochán Liath), and Gweedore (Irish: Gaoth Dobhair). Both of these are formally Gaeltacht (Irish speaking) areas, although little or no Irish is spoken in Dungloe.[citation needed] In the county's north-west is Cloughaneely (Irish: Cloich Chionnaola), centered on the town of Falcarragh (Irish: An Fál Carrach), also in the Gaeltacht. Inishowen, Fanad and Rosguill are three peninsulas in the north of the county. Inishowen (centered on the town of Buncrana) is one of Ireland's largest peninsulas. In the east of the county is located the Finn Valley (centered on Ballybofey) and a district called The Laggan (this Laggan is usually spelled with two g's in order to distinguish it from the more famous Lagan Valley in the south of County Antrim. Donegal's Laggan is centered on the town of Raphoe). Both of these districts have very fertile land.

Demography

According to the 1841 Census, County Donegal had a population of 296,000 people. Due to famine and emigration the population had reduced by 41,000 by 1851 and further reduced by 18,000 by 1861. By the time of the 1951 Census the population was only 44% of what it had been in 1841.[11] The 2006 Census undertaken by the State's Central Statistics Office had Donegal's population standing at 147,264.

Like other areas on the western seaboard of Ireland, Donegal has a distinctive fiddle tradition which is of world renown. Donegal is also well known for its songs which have, like the instrumental music, a distinctive sound. Donegal musical artists such as the bands Clannad and Altan and solo artist Enya, all from Gaoth Dobhair, have had international success with traditional or traditional flavoured music. Donegal music has also influenced people not originally from the county including folk and pop singer Paul Brady. Popular music is also common, the county's most famous[citation needed] rock artist being the Ballyshannon born Rory Gallagher, Kilcar based indie band The Revs also had some good success in the Irish charts. A well known fiddler from Donegal is P.V. O'Donnell, though he currently lives in Manchester, Connecticut, in the United States.

Donegal has a long literary tradition in both Irish and English. The famous Irish Navvy-turned novelist Patrick MacGill, author of many books about the experiences of Irish migrant itinerant labourers in Britain at around the turn of the 20th century, such as The Rat Pit and the autobiographical Children of the Dead End, is from the Glenties area. There is a literary summer school in Glenties named in his honour. The novelist and socialist politician Peadar O'Donnell hails from The Rosses in west Donegal. The Poet William Allingham was also from Ballyshannon.

Although approximately 85% of its population is Catholic, County Donegal also has a sizable Protestant minority. Most Donegal Protestants would trace their ancestors to settlers who arrived during the Plantation of Ulster in the early seventeenth-century. The Church of Ireland is the largest Protestant denomination but is closely rivalled by a large number of Presbyterians. The areas of Donegal with the highest percentage of Protestants are The Laggan area of East Donegal around Raphoe, the Finn Valley and areas around Ramelton, Milford and Dunfanaghy - where their proportion reaches up to 30-45 percent. There is also a large Protestant population between Donegal Town and Ballyshannon in the south of the county. In absolute terms, Letterkenny has the largest number of Protestants (over 1000) and is the most Presbyterian town (among those settlements with more than 3000 people) in the Republic of Ireland. Some, albeit a minority who are concentrated in the Raphoe and Donegal Town/Ballintra areas, County Donegal Protestants are members of the Orange Order, a religious and social society.

Ulster Qualifying League Three sides include Ballyshannon RFC, Donegal Town RFC and Inishowen RFC.

Soccer

Finn Harps play in the League of Ireland and won promotion to the Premier Division in 2007 following a 6-3 aggregate win in the playoff final. They are now back alongside their arch-rivals Derry City F.C., with whom they contest Ireland's North-West Derby. No other Donegal teams have achieved the status of Finn Harps, but teams abound across the county.

The Poison Glen, in North West Donegal.

Golf

Golf is a very popular sport within the county, including world class golf courses such as Ballyliffin (Glashedy), Ballyliffin (Old),both of whch are located in the Inishowen peninsula. Other courses to note are Murvagh (located outside Donegal Town) and Rosapenna (Sandy Hills)located near falcaragh. The Glashedy Links has been ranked 6th in a recent ranking taken by Golf Digest on the best courses in Ireland. The Old links was ranked 28th, Murvagh 36th and Sandy Hills 38th.

Cricket

Cricket is also played in County Donegal. This sport is chiefly confined to the Laggan district and the Finn Valley in the east of the county. The town of Raphoe and the nearby village of St. Johnston, both in The Laggan, are the traditional strongholds of cricket within the county. The game is mainly played and followed by members of County Donegal's Protestant community.

Other sports

Donegal's rugged landscape lends itself to active sports like climbing, hillwalking, surfing and kite-flying. Many people travel to Donegal for the superb golf links—long sandy beaches and extensive dune systems are a feature of the county, and many links courses have been developed.

Rock climbing is of very high quality and still under-developed in the county. There is a wealth of good quality climbs in the county, from granite rocks in the south to quartzite and dolerite in the north; from long mountain routes in the Poisoned Glen to boulder challenges of excellent quality in the west and in the Inishowen Peninsula.

Surfing on Donegal's Atlantic coast is considered to be as good as any in Ireland. The Victorian seaside resort of Bundoran, located in the very south of the county, has been 'reborn' as the centre of surfing in County Donegal. Indeed, Bundoran is now the main surfing 'resort' in Ulster.

Tourism

Glenveagh National Park.

With its sandy beaches, unspoilt boglands and friendly communities, Co. Donegal is a favoured destination for many travellers, Irish (especially Northern Irish) and foreign alike. One of the county treasures is Glenveagh National Park (formerly part of the Glenveagh Estate), as yet (February 2008) the only official national park anywhere in the Province of Ulster. The park is a 140 km² nature reserve with spectacular scenery of mountains, raised boglands, lakes and woodlands. At its heart is Glenveagh Castle, a beautiful late Victorian 'folly' that was originally built as a summer residence.

The Donegal Gaeltacht (Irish-speaking district) also attracts young people to County Donegal each year during the school summer holidays. The three week long summer Gaeltacht courses give young Irish people from other parts of the country a chance to learn the Irish language and traditional Irish cultural traditions that are still prevalent in parts of Donegal. The Donegal Gaeltacht has traditionally been a very popular destination each summer for young people from Northern Ireland.

Scuba Diving is also very popular with a club being located in Donegal Town.

Festivals

• Stuck Inside of Moville, Ireland's only annual festival of Bob Dylan music takes place in Moville where bands from all over Europe and visitors from all over the world congregate to play and hear Bob Dylan music. The DylanFest takes place in the pubs, the streets of the town, on the shores of Lough Foyle and in the picturesque grounds of the hostel at Gulladuff House. This year's DylanFest on the Lough takes place from July 1 to 4.

• BeatlesFest on the Lough takes place every year when bands from all over Europe come and play in the streets and pubs of Moville. This year it will take place from August 12 to 15.

Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland (Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) by the Four Masters, from the earliest period to the year 1616, compiled during the period 1632–36 by Brother Michael O’Clery, translated and edited by John O'Donovan in 1856, and re-published in 1998 by De Burca, Dublin.

Jim MacLaughlin (Editor), Donegal: The Making of a Northern County. Four Courts Press, Dublin 2007.

John McCavitt, The Flight of the Earls. Gill & Macmillan, Dublin 2005.

References

^ Renamed "County Tirconaill" 1922 by resolution of the county council.(Place Name Confusion – Donegal or Tirconaill, The Irish Times, April 24, 1924). After historians and Gaelic scholars pointed out that the historic territory of Tirconaill did not include the whole county, the name Donegal was re-adopted in 1927 (Back to "Donegal", The Irish Times, 22 November 1927).

Regions

Donegal has a number of regions, defined on
traditional grounds going back hundreds of years, and often
overlapping.

Fanad Peninsula boasts a
world-class beach at Portsalon, which can be almost deserted at
times, even in high season. There are a maze of small, country
roads in the pennisula, often poorly signposted. It is also home to
Portsalon golf course, with Kerrykeel and Milford being it's main
villages.

The Finn
Valley is the area around the River
Finn and includes the towns of Ballybofey and
Stranorlar.

Inishowen Peninsula has Buncrana as its main town.
The Inishowen 100 is a day-long, one hundred
kilometre trip around the coastline of the eponymous peninsula,
including the most northerly point of the island of Ireland,
Malin Head.

The Laggan Valley is the area around the
River Laggan, lying east of Letterkenny. It includes the villages of
Raphoe and St. Johnston.

The
Rosses is probably the best defined region,
encompassing much of the Irish speaking areas of the county to the
north west, including Gweedore, Arranmore
Island and Cruit Island.

Southwest Donegal is the most remote region,
boasting the highest cliffs in Europe at Slieve League, Irelands
largest fishing port Killybegs, numerous unspoilt beaches at
Portnoo, Dooey and
Kilcar, the cultural village of Glencolumbkille
and heritage towns Ardara and Glenties.

In recent times, the county has been seen as being divided into
a number of areas both on an economic and physical basis - the
north western area ( which includes The Rosses and
Fanad Peninsula) is lightly populated with
generally mountainous terrain, with the south of the county (around
Bundoran and Ballyshannon) being
densely populated and relatively flat. The east of the county,
particularly around Letterkenny and the
Lagan Valley, is the most densely populated area
of all, and is economically significantly richer than the rest of
the county.

Slieve League [2] (Sliabh Liath) is a
popular tourist destination in the county, with the second highest
seacliffs in Europe.

Tory Island
(Oileán Toraigh) [3] is a island off the
northern coast, with a 14-bed hotel.

Understand

Donegal is the English translation of "Dún na
nGall", literally "Fort of the Foreigners", the county taking its
official name from the town of Donegal, where this fort was
located. It was also known as Tír Conaill, which
translates to "Land of Conal", a more ancient name, referring to
its links with the Uí Neill clan who ruled the region. Irish
language speakers tend to refer to the county by its older name of
Tír Chonaill.

There are very deep connections between the people of
Donegal and Scotland, Glasgow in particular, due to the economic need
for emigration in the past and the strong ties forged over the
generations as a result.

Geography

The Donegal mainland coastline is the longest in the country at
1,134km and constitutes over 17% of the total national coastline.
The main inlet is Lough Swilly which extends 30km
inland from the north coast to Letterkenny.

The county consists chiefly of low mountains, with a deeply
indented coastline forming natural loughs. The mountains (more
famously known as the "Hills of Donegal") consist of two main
ranges, the Derryveagh Mountains in the north and
the Bluestack Mountains in the south.
Mount Errigal, at some 750 metres, is the highest
peak. The Slieve League cliffs are the highest sea
cliffs in Europe and Malin Head, in the Inishowen
Peninsula, is the most northernly point on the island of
Ireland.

Climate

The climate is temperate and dominated by the Gulf Stream, with
cool damp summers and mild wet winters. Average air temperatures
are between 4°C and 6°C in winter and are between 14°C and 16°C in
the summer. Temperatures in winter can be as low as minus 5°C and
tmeperatures in summer can reach as high as 30°C.The average annual
rainfall in Donegal is between 1,000 and 2,000mm adn rain is common
even during the summer months.

Tourism

Donegal natives often say that Donegal is the
forgotten county of Ireland as they feel that it is cut
off from the rest of the Republic of Ireland, both economically and
geographically. Its proximity to Northern Ireland means that it
suffered from a lack of tourist numbers during the recent troubles
there and has been heavily influenced by that province's economic
fortunes. Much of its border is shared with Northern
Ireland, with only about 20 km of land connecting it to the
Republic, on the Bundoran
to Sligo road.

Thus, Donegal is not as accessible as other
tourist-oriented places in the Republic of Ireland, such as County Galway or County Kerry and this
means it is not as commercialised in the tourist sense. This can be
a good thing or a bad thing, depending on your expectations. If you
are looking to get away from over-commercialised tourism, Donegal
can offer unspoilt scenery (apart from over-building of holiday
homes and chalets in areas like Dunfanaghy and Downings) and cheaper prices.
To combat the overdevelopment of holiday homes, Donegal county
council has adapted a plan whereas only one in five houses will be
developed as holiday homes in the future.

The downside of not being as commercialised as other Irish
counties is that facilities and amenities are not as readily
available in Donegal and travelling out-of season will restrict
your options. On the other hand, if you are into
fishing, walking,
rock-climbing,water sports or
golfing, and you are prepared to "rough it" at
times in the less developed and populated areas of the county, then
Donegal has a lot to offer the more adventurous visitor. Donegal's
rugged landscape lends itself to active sports like climbing,
hillwalking and surfing. Many people travel to Donegal for the
superb golf courses - long sandy beaches and extensive dune systems
are a feature of the county, and many links courses have been
developed.

The pastime of rock climbing is of very high quality and still
under-developed in the county. The complete Donegal climbing
guidebook [4]
is available at the Colmcille Climbers [5] website. There is
a wealth of good quality climbs in the county from granite
rocks in the south to the quartzite and dolerite-based landscape in
the north. There are long mountain routes in the Poisoned Glen and
boulder challenges of excellent quality in the west of the county
and in the Inishowen Peninsula.

Surfing on Donegal's Atlantic coast
[6] is considered to be as good as any in Ireland. Donegal has
hotel facilities as good as any other in Ireland in its major
towns, as well as top class restaurants.

Talk

As with the rest of the Republic of Ireland,
Irish/Gaeilge is the official first language, and is used
as such by many in the north and west of the county, unlike most of
the rest of the island. Donegal is home to the largest Gaeltacht
area in Ireland. However, English is spoken fluently by the entire
native population.

The form of Irish spoken in the area is noticeably different to
that in the rest of the country, although it is an accepted
dialect, and is used on the Irish language television and radio
services.

Locals refer to Donegal as part of "the South", distinguishing
it from "the North" (i.e. Northern Ireland), even though it is
geographically north in relation to the rest of the island. This is
because it is indeed politically part of "Southern Ireland" (i.e.
the Republic of Ireland),
even though it only shares a few miles of its county border with
"the South"!

Get in

There is no rail link into the county, the nearest rail stations
being Sligo and Derry.

By car

The county is not served by any motorways. There are three
primary routes into Donegal, depending on where you are travelling
from. The N15 links the county with Sligo via Bundoran and Ballyshannon. The N2 from Dublin, via Monaghan, links
with the N14 to Lifford and
Letterkenny while
the N13 links with Derry.

Feda O'Donnell Coaches[12] run regular daily
services between Galway and
Donegal, which service most of the county.

By plane

Daily flights from Dublin and Glasgow operate to Donegal
International Airport, at Carrickfinn, in the northwest of
the county. These flights are operated by Aer Arann [13]

Boat

The nearest ferryport is Larne, north of Belfast, connecting to
Stranraer and Troon in Scotland. There are buses [14][15] that
run from Scotland to County Donegal, using this ferry route.

Get around

By car

The road network within Donegal is notably poor, even compared
to the rest of Ireland, with only the national primary and national
secondary routes between major towns being of what most people
expect as acceptable quality. Some of the towns are bypassed, such
as Donegal Town,
Ballyshannon and
Bundoran. In rural areas,
roads are often one lane with passing places, or barely two lane.
Meeting a wider vehicle, such as a 4x4, truck or bus on these roads
can lead to reversing into the nearest gateway to clear the
carriageway. Cycling on these roads is best left to the fit and the
courageous, as narrow roads over mountains are often the only way
from one place to another.

Road signs in the Irish speaking, or Gaeltacht regions of the
country are in the Irish language solely, however, even when
directing to places outside the region. Due to this, place names in
this article are listed bilingually, as often no obvious connection
exists between the English and Irish forms. Road signage in
Donegal is often extremely poor, so a recent map
of the county is advisable. Distances on road signs are officially
in kilometres, but a mix of old signage and poor conversions have
left distances often in miles, or completely inaccurate.

Allow plenty of travel time when planning itinaries and don't
underestimate the distance you need to travel. Remember that the
roads are poorer and travelling will be slower than expected. A
tour of the Fanad Pennisula takes at least half a day, and the Inishowen
Peninsula is best experienced over a full day if you are
driving. Similarly, touring the Rosses region, taking in Glenveagh National Park and
Mount Errigal, will take a full day.

By bus

A private bus operator, Lough Swilly Bus[16],
operates services daily to the Northern half of the county from Derry City and Letterkenny, albeit
infrequently, with services to Malin head on Saturdays. The Dungloe route passes through
Kilmacrennan, Dunfanaghy, Creeslough, Falcarragh, Gweedore and Burtonport,
among others. There are also daily services to Fanad, passing
through Ramelton.

Gallagher's Coaches[17]
also offer a local service in the North of the county, covering
Annagry, Gweedore,
Falcarragh, Dunfanaghy
and Creeslough on the route between Annagry and Letterkenny.

Feda O'Donnell Coaches[18] have a twice daily
service between Crolly and Letterkenny, which passes through the same
route as Gallagher's. This bus continues to Galway via Ballybofey and Donegal Town.

In the Southwest of the county, McGeehan
Coaches[19], in
conjunction with Bus Eireann [20] have a
twice daily service between Letterkenny and Glencolumbkille, stopping at Fintown,
Glenties, Ardara,
Killybegs and Kilcar. Another service travels between Dungloe and Donegal Town,
stopping at Glenties, Ardara, Killybegs, Bruckless, Dunkineely,
Frosses and Mountcharles. Feda O'Donnell [21] also has a weekly
service between Annagry and Galway, passing through Dungloe, Glenties, Ardara, Killybegs and
Donegal Town.

Bus Éireann[22] have
regular buses between Letterkenny, Stranorlar, Ballybofey, Donegal Town, Ballyshannon, and Bundoran, which continue on
to Sligo and Galway. There are also bus links between Strabane and Lifford,
Letterkenny and Ballybofey, as well as local routes linking Raphoe
and Convoy with Lifford and Letterkenny. There is a nightbus
service at weekends between Letterkenny and Ballybofey.

By Bike

Donegal, with its many quiet country backroads provides
excellent opportunities for cycling. It's hilly geography and
sometimes potholed roads can be a challenge. A good map [23]
is essential, as road signs can be confusing. Bike hire is
available in Letterkenny, Donegal Town and Ardara
[24].

Some popular routes include the Inishowen 100
[25], the Northwest Trail [26], and others
[27][28].
Sustrans [29] also has information
about cycling in Donegal.

Slieve League

Pretty much the entire county is scenic, with stunning sights to
be observed along the coast, and in the mountain ranges. Mount
Errigal, is a quartzite-topped mountain is in the Derryveagh
mountains to the north of the county, with the Bluestack mountains
to the south.

The Slieve League cliffs in the county are among the highest sea
cliffs in Europe. Ireland's most northerly point, at Malin Head, is
in the county.

A preserved railway [30], with an
operative original railcar open for public journeys, is located at
Fintown in the centre of the county; when restoration is complete
this will link to Glenties
in the west of the county. In addition, a separate museum [31] for a separate part of
Donegal's now-gone but formerly extensive narrow gauge railway
network is in Donegal Town, located in the towns former station
house.

An operative corn and flax mill
[32] is preserved at Newmills, outside Letterkenny, with the county museum [33]
being located in the towns former workhouse. Another former
workhouse, at Dunfanaghy, has been partially restored as
workhouse museum.

The county's two main offshore islands are both still inhabited,
and both worth a visit. In addition, some of the smaller islands
are worth seeing, if you have the means to get to them. Most of
these are uninhabited during the winter and lack power, water, or
any other means of life for anybody but temporary visitors.

Arranmore [34], the larger and closer
inland of the two, has two hotels, 7 pubs, some watersports
activities and mountain trails for hikers; and is accessible by a
regular, multiple times daily car ferry service. A pre-Christian
hill fort as well as ruins of a coastguard station, 1700's
lighthouse and World War Two lookout post are all visible on the
island. The countries only off-shore football team is based here,
with a pitch built on sand dunes on the south of the island.

Tory Island [35], is smaller, less
populous, and further offshore, and is accessible only by a
passenger-only ferry; which runs multiple times daily during the
summer, dropping to 5 times a week in winter. The island has a
14-bedroom hotel. Tory's history is lived out to this very day with
an elected "king" who attempts to greet all tourists, and a round
tower with famed "cursing stones" and Celtic cross.

Do

Letterkenny is
home to hundreds of high street shops, including branches of many
international fashion boutiques. Ballybofey, in the centre of the
county, also features a large contingent of shops, including a
large indigenious local department store,
McElhinney's.

Letterkenny also features a multiplex cinema,
and a theatre, An Grianán [36]. Nightclubs of varying
size and quality are dotted throughout the counties tourist
resorts, including Letterkenny, Glenties and Bundoran. Bundoran is
Ireland's answer to Blackpool, and features large amusement
arcades as well as a Waterpark, not to mention being a good base
for surfers, beside some of the best surfing sites in Ireland.

The Ionad Cois Locha [37] in
Dunlewey, part of the Poisoned
Glen, is a tourist attraction, originally built by the
countries main power company, the ESB, to employ
workers it was laying off from a nearby power plant. Based around a
restored two storey farm house, it features a museum of weaving
equipment and weaving demonstrations; boat tours of a man-made lake
caused by an ESB hydro electric power station (the station itself
is an eyesore, really, on the landscape), and often hosts
concerts or art exhibitions.

Golfing

Golf is a major pastime for tourists in the region, with many 9
and 18 hole courses dotted around the county. Due to the lack of
flat land in many areas, many of the courses are superb links
courses formed by nature offering scenic views as well as
world-class golf. Serious golfers should include Ballyliffen,
Murvagh (outside Donegal Town) and Portsalon in their
itinerary as they are three of the best courses in the county.
Green fees will vary from €30 upwards, depending on the season and
day of the week.

Music

Music is an important part of the regions culture, and its
tourist industry. Music tours often head to Kincasslagh, home of
Daniel O'Donnell, a favourite with elderly ladies
across the UK and Ireland; or to Gweedore to
Leo's Tavern, run by the brother of
Enya and her siblings' band,
Clannad. Traditional Irish music is more prevalent
in places like Glencolumcille, Ardara and Glenties, where a traditional fiddlers'
festival is held every year. In addition, in recent years
Letterkenny has been home to the national Fleadh Cheoil, Ireland's
largest traditional music festival.

Walking and Climbing

The cliffs at Slieve League [38] are a "must-see", but
only in fair weather, and a visit to Glencolumcille could be
included in this outing. Similarly, a visit to Grianan of Aileach could be included in a trip to
the Inishowen Peninsula.

Weather will dictate whether one should climb Mount
Errigal. Always leave details of time of departure and
expected time of return with your local contacts when undertaking
walking, climbing and boating activities, as bad weather can
descend without warning.

Glenveagh National Park is a
haven for nature lovers, with its scenic walks and climbs, together
with its gardens adn castle grounds. Plan to spend at least half a
day here.

Glenties is a good
hillwalking base, situated at the meeting of two glens on the edge
of the Bluestack Mountains.

Sea angling from Portnablagh (near Dunfanaghy) and Downings
is a good day out. The trip takes in a stop at Tory Island [39]. Rods and tackle are
supplied and you can fish for mackerel, cod and pollock.

Deep sea fishing is also available from many
of the towns and villages located on the coast

Eat

All major towns in the area will have both restaurants and fast
food outlets, with some of the latter being from the county's
indigenous Four Lanterns chain. Rural areas will often have no
eateries whatsoever, beyond takeaway chip shops, although many pubs
offer meals, especially at lunch time. If all else fails, the
supermarkets often have hot food to take away, such as roast
chicken and potato wedges. Ethnic tastes are well catered for in
the major towns in Donegal, with Chinese, Indian and Italian food
outlets widely available. Given the seaside location and vast
coastline of County Donegal, seafood is in abundance. The port of
Killybegs is one of the major fishing ports of Ireland.

Drink

Every town in the county features at least one pub - usually
more. In smaller towns and villages, pubs may not open until late
in the afternoon. Prices are significantly lower than in Dublin,
with a pint of stout usually averaging €3.70 in rural areas. Many
pubs have live traditional music during the summer, and at other
times such as Christmas. Prices of drink in hotel bars are usually
dearer than the pubs.

Wine is becoming increasingly available in pubs, where you can
order a quarter bottle of red or white, which several brand
choices, at most pubs for around €4 to €5. Don't expect to get a
top of the range wine unless you are in a good restaurant. The
question is, do you really want to drink wine in the land of
guinness...

Get out

Depending on where you are in the county, trips to Derry and Sligo are easily accomplished. Enniskillen is
accessible from the south of the county. From the east of the
county, a day trip to Belfast is not out of the question.

This is a usable article. It has
information for getting in as well as some complete entries for
restaurants and hotels. An adventurous person could use this
article, but please plunge forward and help it grow!

This article requires significantly more historical detail on the particular phases of this location's historical development. The ideal article for a place will give the reader a feel for what it was like to live at that location at the time their relatives were alive there..
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County Donegal (Irish: Contae Dhún na nGall) is a county in the northwest of Ireland. It is one of three counties in the province of Ulster that does not form part of Northern Ireland. The name "Donegal" comes from the Irish, meaning "the fort of the foreigners". The county was named after the former administrative centre of Donegal Town. When first created, it was sometimes referred to as County Tyrconnel (Irish: Tír Chonaill), after the Tyrconnel earldom it succeeded. Calling the whole county Tír Conaill is technically incorrect as the Inishowen peninsula (Irish: Inis Eoghain) was historically distinct from Tír Chonaill.

Contents

Geography

The county consists chiefly of low mountains, with a deeply indented coastline forming natural loughs, of which Lough Swilly is the most notable. The famous mountains or Hills of Donegal consist of two major ranges, the Derryveagh Mountains in the north and the Bluestack Mountains in the south, with Mount Errigal at 749 metres the highest peak. The Slieve League cliffs are the second highest sea cliffs in Europe, while Donegal's Malin Head is the most northerly point on the island of Ireland.

The climate is temperate and dominated by the Gulf Stream, with cool damp summers and mild wet winters. Two permanently inhabited islands, Arranmore and Tory Island lie off the coast, along with a large number of islands with only transient inhabitants. Ireland's second longest river, the Erne, enters Donegal Bay near the town of Ballyshannon. The river Erne, along with other Donegal waterways, has been dammed to produce hydroelectric power.

Culture and heritage

The variant of the Irish language spoken in Donegal is distinctive, and shares traits with Scottish Gaelic. The Irish spoken in the Donegal Gaeltacht (Irish speaking area) is of the West Ulster dialect, while Inishowen, which became English-speaking in the early 20th century, used the East Ulster dialect. Scots is still spoken to a degree in the Laggan district of east Donegal.

Donegal Irish has a strong influence on Irish speakers across Ulster, who find themselves speaking a dialect noticeably different from the Irish most commonly spoken and understood in Dublin.

Like other areas of western Ireland, Donegal has a distinctive fiddle tradition which is of world renown. Donegal is also well known for its songs which have, like the instrumental music, a distinctive sound. Donegal musical artists such as the bands Clannad and Altan and solo artist Enya, all from Gaoth Dobhair, have had international success with traditional or traditional flavoured music. Donegal music has also influenced people not originally from the county including folk and pop singer Paul Brady. Popular music is also common, the county's most famous rock artist being the Ballyshannon born Rory Gallagher.

In addition to its Gaelic culture, Donegal has also had a significant Protestant presence, being the most Protestant county in the Republic of Ireland - a community with many links and similiaries to their Northern Ireland correligionists and whose history dates to Scottish and English settlement during the 17th century plantation of Ulster.[2]. With its complex mix of cultures, Donegal could be seen as a microcosm for the Island of Ireland as a whole.

Donegal has also contributed to culture elsewhere. One Donegal native, Francis Alison, was one of the founders of the College of Philadelphia, which would later become the University of Pennsylvania.[3]

Sport

The Gaelic Athletic Association sport of Gaelic football is popular in Donegal, as is soccer — association football. Hurling is not such a big sport in the North-West of Ireland. Donegal's Gaelic football team have won the All-Ireland title once (in 1992), and in 2007 Donegal won only their second national title by winning the national football league, but the hurling team has never managed a title. There are 16 senior GAA Clubs in county Donegal.[4]

Football

Finn Harps play in the Football League of Ireland but are not currently (2007) in the Premier League alongside their arch-rivals Derry City. No other Donegal teams have achieved the status of Finn Harps, but football teams abound across the county.

Donegal's rugged landscape lends itself to active sports like climbing, hillwalking, surfing and kite-flying. Many people travel to Donegal for the superb golf links — long sandy beaches and extensive dune systems are a feature of the county, and many links courses have been developed.

Rock climbing is of very high quality and still under-developed in the county. The complete Donegal climbing guidebook is available at the Colmcille Climbers website. There is a wealth of good quality climbs in the county from granite rocks in the south to quartzite and dolerite in the north; from long mountain routes in the Poisoned Glen to boulder challenges of excellent quality in the west and in the Inishowen Peninsula.

Tourism

Glenveagh National Park.

With its sandy beaches, unspoilt boglands and friendly communities Co.Donegal is a favoured destination for many travellers, Irish and foreign alike. One of the county treasures is Glenveagh National Park. The park is a 140 km² nature reserve with spectacular scenery of mountains, raised boglands, lakes and woodlands.

The Donegal Gaeltacht also attract young people to Donegal each year during the school summer holidays. The three week long summer Gaeltacht courses give young Irish people from other parts of the country a chance to learn the Irish language and traditional Irish cultural traditions that are still prevalent in parts of Donegal.

Annals of the Kingdom of Ireland (Annála Ríoghachta Éireann) by the Four Masters, from the earliest period to the year 1616, compiled during the period 1632–36 by Brother Michael O’Clery, translated and edited by John O'Donovan in 1856, and re-published in 1998 by De Burca, Dublin.

This page uses content from the English language Wikipedia. The original content was at County Donegal. The list of authors can be seen in the page history. As with this Familypedia wiki, the content of Wikipedia is available under the Creative Commons License.